A historical melting pot
The American melting pot is not a legend and Florida is no exception to the rule. The Seminole Indian tribes were the first to settle in the region, but their settlement was defeated by successive conquests - notably by the first one led by the Spanish - and by the diseases that the settlers brought with them. Then the Americans tried in vain to displace them and there are now about 3,000 descendants living in the region. You can go and meet them, especially in the Big Cypress reserve. The successive conquests of the Spanish, the English, the Irish and even the French have left many descendants and a real cultural heritage. In most of the big cities, there are small European communities that are very well integrated, such as a Greek community in Tarpon Springs, on the West Coast.
Permanent migration
Migration flows are undoubtedly the most significant in the constitution of the Floridian population and are at the origin of a demographic boom. The proximity of Cuba has transformed Miami into the capital of Latin America where more than half of its inhabitants are Hispanic, a trend reinforced by recent migratory flows from Colombia, Peru or Venezuela. However, new migrants are finding their place from all over the Caribbean. However, the white community remains the majority in almost all cities. Miami's ethnic composition is 70 percent Hispanic, half of whom are Cuban, 18 percentAfrican Americans and 10 percent non-Hispanic white Americans. The domination of the city by Cubans is the result of a process due to Castro's takeover of Cuba in 1959 and the successive waves of immigration that followed.
History of languages
While English remains the official language in Florida, Spanish is the language spoken by 27% of the population at home. It is therefore the second most spoken language in the state. It is of course immigrants from Latin America, recently settled or for several generations, who continue to speak their language. If you have dark hair and dark skin, you will be spontaneously spoken to in Spanish in the streets and stores of Miami because the Hispanic population is particularly large, so it is logical to assume that you are Latin American. But this will not happen to you in central or northern Florida, where the people of Florida are generally non-Hispanic whites and of European descent.
What happened to the Indians
The native Indians of Florida had reached a degree of civilization comparable to that of the Aztecs. Around the beginning of the 16th century, their burial rituals on burial mounds were replaced by the cult of the sun. But these Indians did not leave any traces. Whether they were wiped out from the land of their ancestors by disease or retreated with the Spaniards to Cuba, by the mid-seventeenth century they had disappeared, probably absorbed by the Creeks. The Creeks had arrived from Alabama and Georgia at the same time. They were known in Florida as Seminoles, which meant renegade or vagrant. Their presence in Florida became the subject of a major debate. They were forced to move to reservations in Oklahoma. The majority having refused to surrender, it followed 2 wars against the USA (1816-1845). The Seminoles who did not accept the defeat withdrew to the Everglades.
Native American Tribes Today: Seminole and Miccosukee
They were present on the land over 10,000 years before Juan Pónce de Leon "discovered" Florida. Today, Florida still has a native population of approximately 4,000 people from two Native American tribes: the Seminole and the Miccosukee. Previously, there was only one Seminole nation, from which the Miccosukee tribe broke away in the mid-20th century. Both speak the Mikasuki language. These indigenous peoples live on reservations. The Seminole have six reservations, including the Big Cypress Indian Reservation (212 km2) and the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation (146 km2); the Miccosukee occupy several reservations under the name Miccosukee Indian Reservation, part of which is adjacent to the Big Cypress Reservation. The Seminoles bought the Hard Rock chain of restaurants, casinos and hotels in 2006. The Miccosukee live in a more traditional way.
An increasing attractiveness
One of the less predictable effects of the pandemic was the increase in Florida's population. Between October 2019 and September 2020, it increased by 387,479 people, 15% more than expected. Miami Dade County is recording the largest number of arrivals. This trend can be explained by the action of the Governor of Florida who decided more quickly than elsewhere (from May 2020) to reopen businesses, restaurants and hotels in the state by applying the health protocol of the White House. The strict confinement will have lasted only 60 days! These measures allowed Florida to avoid falling asleep, like most of the neighboring states. Thus, many Americans, particularly New Yorkers and Californians, left their home town to settle there, attracted by the living environment and the economic dynamism.
The population... tourist
In addition to its eclectic local population, Florida attracts year-round visitors of all ages and backgrounds. In 2021, the Sunshine State received nearly 118 domestic visitors, and many more if we add international visitors. Because of the diversity of activities and landscapes it offers, Florida attracts both retired Quebecers - nicknamed Snow Birds - who sometimes settle there for several months to escape the harsh Canadian winter, as well as young students who come to party in Miami and Key West during Spring Break (a period of relaxation for American universities) and families with children who rush to Orlando's theme parks, including the two powerhouses that are Disney World (about 16 million visitors per year) and Universal Studio (about 10 million visitors per year), without forgetting couples looking for a relaxing vacation.
